Wedding Anniversary Gifts by Year: Traditional Gifts and Flowers

Photo by Dako99 on Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped

In short: each wedding anniversary has a traditional theme, from paper for the 1st to gold for the 50th and diamond for the 60th, and many years have a flower too. Use the table below to find yours, then make the gift personal. Flowers suit every year.

Let’s be honest. A simple bunch of flowers, a love note, or a surprise dinner here and there for no other reason than love always makes someone feel special. You could argue that you should not need an anniversary to show someone you love them. The cynics amongst us will even go as far as telling us that celebrating wedding anniversaries is just a commercial ruse. We beg to differ! We think an anniversary gift is the perfect way to mark this moment in time and show just how much you care.

Wedding anniversaries are the perfect occasion to pause our busy lives and make time to remember a momentous occasion, one of the most important commitments in our life. Make time on your anniversary to look back but also to look at the future with all its possibilities and adventures it holds for you as a couple.

We’ve put together the traditional anniversary themes and flowers by year, plus gift ideas for every budget. We hope this guide helps you find a present that shows your love and brings your partner joy.

Anniversary Gifts and Flowers by Year

Did you know the origins of anniversary gifts go back to the Roman Empire? Husbands crowned their wives with a silver wreath on their 25th wedding anniversary and a golden one on their 50th.

Most of the themes we use today were set in the 20th century, and lists vary a little between countries and sources. There’s no right or wrong, as long as the gift is given with love. Here are the most common traditional gifts and flowers by year:

Notice the gaps after the 15th anniversary? We believe enduring love deserves recognition every year! The best gifts keep the person’s interests in mind and come from the heart, so here’s how to turn some traditional themes into personal, thoughtful gifts.

Traditional Anniversary Gift Ideas

Paper

The thought of ‘paper’ as a gift might sound a bit boring, but it can be really exciting. Some ideas:

• His/her favourite book. Perhaps a novel hot off the press from a favourite author, or an autobiography.

• Movie tickets.

• A print of your wedding vows, or places you’ve been to.

• A personalised push pin world map of all the places you’ve been to.

• A photo album of your adventures. Digital photos are just not the same!

• Custom print of the night sky that day your heart skipped a beat.

• A custom print of your wedding song.

• Personalised stationery.

If you’re going for luxury: Why not splurge on a limited edition, rare book, a painting, travel tickets for a weekend away or a romantic holiday, tickets to a festival, theatre or concert, for example. Alternatively, for the art loving couple, perhaps starting an art collection will become a treasured anniversary tradition.

Jewellery and Gemstones

Photo by The Metropolitan Museum of Art on Wikimedia Commons (CC0), cropped

Jewellery is always well received, and you are spoilt for choice here. The anniversary gemstones stretch across any budget and taste. You might think ‘gifts for her’ when you think of jewellery. But imagine cufflinks, watches, tie clips and bars or signet rings and you’re bound to find something special for him. We also like personalised bracelets that turn your handwritten message into a unique and intimate piece of jewellery.

If you’re going for luxury, design a piece of custom jewellery with the anniversary gemstone or their birthstone. Engraving your names, your wedding date or a line from your wedding song adds a lovely personal touch.

Wine

Photo by Mick Stephenson mixpix on Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped

For some inconceivable reason, the gift of wine has slipped to the 85th wedding anniversary. That is a very long time to wait for a glass or two of your favourite drop! We feel a favourite label, wine from your wedding year or first date, your wedding bubbles, will always be appreciated. So, why wait that long?

If you’re going for luxury: Wine can be a bit like jewellery in the sense that you can spend as little or as much as you want. Add a thoughtful touch by creating your personal wine labels or whisk away your spouse to a fabulous vineyard for the weekend. Throw in a mouth-watering gift hamper and a set of beautiful, ornate crystal wine glasses for that extra touch, for example.

To find the right wine for your anniversary, see Wine Folly’s guide to anniversary wines.

Leather

Photo by Trougnouf (Benoit Brummer) on Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0, cropped

Well, we’ve taken a shine to the 3rd year anniversary gift! Think leather toiletry bag, key ring, wallet, diary, fold over clutch, bracelets, bookmarks or handbags, for example. You are bound to find something that you know your partner will treasure.

If you’re going for luxury: Probably more than the notion of luxury, it’s the personal touch leather allows you to add. For instance, think monogrammed toiletry bag, wallet, or a diary. Consider gifting a key ring or bookmark with a special message or date, bracelets with your names, for example. Lastly, you could also consider a beautiful leather reading chair or a cowhide rug by the fireplace?

Flowers

Flowers should never be given to try and salvage a situation – movie scenes of beheaded flowers and bouquets landing in the rubbish bin come to mind – but always as a sign of affection and appreciation. As the table above shows, many years of marriage have a different kind of flower, making for a very warm touch to the beautiful anniversary bouquet. Another incredible option is dried flowers. Lasting up to 2 years, you can ensure your incredible anniversary gift stands the test of time.

For a classic choice, you can’t go past red roses: try our 12 Roses Bouquet, browse anniversary flowers or our romantic flowers. To pick by colour or month, see the meanings behind every colour of rose and birth month flowers.

If you’re going for luxury flowers: There’s the obvious size of the delivered bouquet but perhaps think of artwork relating to the flower theme, a trip visiting famous or exotic gardens or national parks in bloom.

Some Odd Ones

Cotton, wood, wool or holloware do not typically seem to be the most exciting of anniversary gifts. However; a personalised or monogrammed version will make a great gift.

We’re not talking about the personalised ‘wifey and hubby’ sweaters. However, we are talking personalised printed pillowcases, a handwoven merino throw, silver artwork or a wooden carved breakfast tray or wooden artwork, for example.

Musical instruments, sometimes listed for the 24th anniversary, may seem an odd gift. But have you considered concert tickets or an anniversary playlist?

Presents for Any Budget

The greatest gift you can give is your love, hands down. With that in mind, a present doesn’t have to cost the earth to make someone’s heart sing. Therefore, to help you with some ideas, we have listed some inexpensive ideas below:

• Take a trip down memory lane and cuddle up on the sofa, look at your wedding photos and watch your wedding video together. Bring those wedding day memories back to life: friends and family you celebrated it with, your vows, your feelings on the day.

• Recreate your wedding dinner menu. Organise a romantic meal for two at the original wedding venue.

• Put on your wedding dress.

• Take a trip to the location where you popped the question.

• Pack a picnic and watch the sunset.

• Create an anniversary tradition.

• Have a relaxing couples massage.

• Start a new hobby or activity together.

• Say it with flowers! In fact, you can do this by checking out our list of anniversary flowers for lovely bouquet ideas. Alternatively, you can pick a bunch of wildflowers (season and place permitting of course).

• Handmade presents are a treasure:

  • Make your own personalised mugs with a ceramic marker. An easy DIY project with a personal touch.

  • Present a ‘date jar’.

  • Create a ‘bucket list’ book.

  • Gift a photo print of where you’ve met, or a place you travelled to together.

  • Write a love letter.

Planning a night out? See our 24 date night ideas for couples, and for the card, our romantic message ideas.

Congratulations!

There is so much more to being married than the wedding day and your wedding anniversaries. It’s appreciating moments and each other that make a marriage, discussing and working through things and celebrating milestones (such as a wedding anniversary!) small and big. A lasting, happy marriage is no mean feat!

Long marriages are even recognised by the state. In Australia, couples can request a congratulatory message from the Prime Minister and the Governor-General from their 50th wedding anniversary, and from the King and the Governor-General for their 60th, 65th and 70th anniversaries and every year after. Apply through the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet at least two months ahead.

Happy anniversary!